Date   : Wed, 25 May 2005 09:48:57 +0100
From   : ben@...
Subject: Penman Plotters

Does anyone on the list know anything about Penman plotters? I have one, 
but cannot get it working. It powers up, but fails to perform its little 
self-test routine. When power is applied and it isn't connected to the 
serial port, it is supposed to run forward to detect the edge of the paper, 
and then back again, wherupon it draws three circles and announces its 
firmware version number. It is only running forward and back again, so
I suspect some failure in the IR detectors. Ho hum. It's a pity, because
Penman plotters were cute little beasts despite being far from accurate
enough to use seriously.

I know that a Penman isn't exactly a BBC Micro, but they come from the
same era, and were deliberately designed with the same case colour so as
to be "compatible" (!)